Meeting Vision 2025: Enhancing Civic Competency, Attitudes, and Engagement Among Occupational Therapy Students

Meghan G. Blaskowitz, Department of Occupational Therapy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Amy M. Mattila, Department of Occupational Therapy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Ann E. Stuart, Department of Occupational Therapy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Ann B. Cook, Department of Occupational Therapy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Abstract

The American Occupational Therapy Association's (2017) challenges the occupational therapy profession to understand and address public health problems impacting communities. In response to this call to action, educators must design curricula that helps occupational therapy students build upon foundational civic knowledge. Faculty in an entry-level occupational therapy program created a curriculum to increase students' civic competency and engagement. This article provides a thorough description of this curriculum and a summary of an assessment to measure civic learning over time. Occupational therapy faculty may use this model to better prepare students to provide culturally responsive services to clients across diverse community contexts.